Hotel California

I honestly can't stand CCR at all. Am I totally losing it, or is this normal? 🙂

If we’re being honest about the origins of Stairway to Heaven, Davy Graham is likely the one most to blame. His brand of folk-psychedelia was something everyone was obsessing over back then, including Led Zeppelin. It resulted in a song that is arguably more etched into their legacy than almost anything else they ever produced. Which, frankly, is a bit of a shame. As for how a track like "STH" can actually be a blast to listen to, Frank Zappa proved the point quite well with his take on the album: 'The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life'.

Nicholas Perez33 said:I can't stand CCR at all. Am I losing my mind here? 🙂

Nah. But you're more of a pop listener than a true rocker deep down, so I guess we can let it slide... 😬

Honestly, I think the absolute best version of Stairway to Heaven was that one performed by those incredible Japanese musicians at the festival a few years back. That specific way they layered the sound just transcends everything else, even surpassing that brilliant, heavy-hitting version where Jimmy Page goes all out alongside the brass section.😍

One more thing I don't get—why do you guys even listen to the radio? Not being snarky or trying to act superior here, I’m genuinely curious. Are your roommates torturing you at the office? Do you commute on buses that clearly DON'T play classic hits—or maybe they just blast CCR all day?—or are people just forcing it on you at home?

Anyway, since we're talking about hating massive hits—take me, for example. I'm a huge Beatles fan, but "Yesterday" just doesn't do it for me. It's not even because it's overplayed (though it definitely is, but whatever)—it's just boring. Same goes for Stairway to Heaven; it has potential, sure, but the whole pretentious vibe totally ruins it for me.

no idea said:As soon as I spotted this thread, I just knew Carol Jackson45 was gonna show up to weigh in. 🤣

EDIT: Wait, I actually haven't heard Proud Mary yet. Is that a total crime against music? 😁

Yeah, it is. 😉

I guess I've always had a soft spot for Stairway to Heaven 😳

I feel the exact same way.

hey there

The only real issue with Stairway to Heaven—which, let’s be clear, is a killer track—is that everything else on that record is just as damn good. But because people have this mindless habit of chasing whatever is popular, you end up in this loop where 90% of the time someone puts on that album, they play that one song. Then maybe 9% of them bother with Black Dog or Rock and Roll, and I swear, maybe 1% actually listens to the rest of the tracks combined. It gets annoying because when I finally get the album spinning, I’m dying to hear Four Sticks or When The Levee Breaks, yet I often find myself skipping the first side entirely... even though I still think it's a masterpiece.

Honestly, if there's one thing that caught my eye in this whole thread, it’s 😬 the fact that people are still playing guitar through those old-school tube amps. I really thought that sound had died out back in my day. If anything has been totally overplayed lately, it’s definitely American music, which explains why Azrofil says he can barely stand listening to certain stuff because of that tired old vibe. I can't even stand The Beach Boys, but that's just because they aren't all that to begin with. Now, Hotel California and Proud Mary in their original versions? Those are always hits for me. They're just damn good songs...

stormyviper11 said:That's what got me thinking about the original question... I mean, even though The Beverly Hills Hotel isn't exactly a favorite or a least favorite of mine, I can see how the constant radio play, the pretentiousness, and all that symbolism could trigger some negative vibes. It makes sense why people would get annoyed by it. (Though, honestly, anyone who doesn't dig Witchy Woman by the Eagles clearly just lacks taste.)

But man, CCR? Seriously? That’s basically the soul of Rock and Roll—just a solid three-minute, three-chord banger. Sure, Proud Mary gets played way too much at random events (and Have You Ever Seen the Rain is catching up fast), but I don't see how the song itself should cause any bad feelings. Whether it's a masterpiece or just okay is debatable, but there's nothing fake or over-the-top about it. To me, attacking Proud Mary for any reason other than personal taste or playing it too often feels like an attack on Rock and Roll itself. Along with The Kinks, CCR defines everything good about the genre. I'd go as far as to say if someone loves punk, American music, or any simple guitar-driven stuff but hates CCR, they haven't actually "gotten" the music. They're probably just listening to be snobby rather than because they actually enjoy it.

Man, you're full of it.

btw I'd say Stairway to Heaven is easily the third best Zeppelin track ever. For me, Tangerine takes the top spot, followed by When The Levee Breaks.

Adam Moore said:Man, you’re full of it.

Give me some actual arguments or counterpoints here, please. I don't need more vague insults about my digestive health (thank God for its high quality, consistency, and abundance, by the way)... 😉

stormyviper11 said:Attacking Proud Mary for any reason, other than just my own taste or complaining about how much it gets played, feels like an attack on Rock and Roll itself.

Why though? You aren't attacking the whole genre, just one specific track. That's it. I mean, I love that song, but I can't listen to it every single time. Plus, I'm not really into CCR, even though I absolutely adore The Kinks. At the end of the day, personal taste is the only way you can judge or defend music, which basically means every opinion shared here is super subjective. If someone actually tried to objectively bash a song (which nobody here has actually done to Proud Mary), they'd have to set objective parameters—which would just mean using numbers. By that logic, you'd judge a band's quality based on single sales or their influence, etc.
Which is, of course, total garbage.

Besides, I wouldn't call CCR the literal essence of Rock and Roll; they're just one of the most exposed bands from a certain slice of the genre. Personally, it doesn't click for me because it feels too muddy, Mississippi-soaked, and Southern, but hey, good for everyone else who loves them. Just because I don't vibe with CCR doesn't make me a snob or a poser or whatever.

And as for that idea that honesty is the most important thing in Rock and Roll? We could argue about that forever. I actually think it's the opposite—Rock and Roll has always tried to turn regular people into larger-than-life heroes, distorting them so much that some people actually had mental breakdowns and all that crap... but yeah, we could go down that rabbit hole for ages.

stormyviper11 said:Give me actual arguments and counterpoints, please, instead of just making sweeping comments about how efficient (thank God, high-quality, frequent, and plentiful!) my digestive tract is... 😉

Lucky you... my stomach is absolutely trashed... damn college dining hall food! 😠 😠 😠

Adam Moore said:why am I some snob or a fake or whatever other bullshit people want to call me... honestly, we could go on forever about that topic.

it's because you fake your orgasms☕

don't ask me how I know.. I heard it through the grapevine😛

Saxophone said:Carol Jackson45, man, you're just pure energy.🙂

😕 Why would I even be jealous of someone who isn't even in my industry, let alone a terrible musician on top of that?

Walter Foster52 said:Based on that "measurement," I'm pretty sure she gives Mary goosebumps—and honestly, if her back isn't the hairy part, then we're in trouble. With the right soundtrack playing, those shorts would be terrifyingly hot. 😬

Carol Jackson45 barely has any hair on her arms, just some tiny fuzz, and then there's that thicker patch on her head... 🥳

Carrot, you're always right at heart; 'Scary' is solid. 😉

🙂

stormyviper11 said:People play this song way too often at every single event. Honestly, "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" is right on the edge of becoming just as overplayed.

Man, I love that song. 😍

Creedence is basically the gold standard for everything great about Rock and Roll. Honestly, if you’re into punk, American rock, or any simple guitar-driven stuff and you claim not to like CCR, you just don't get it. You're probably just listening to music to act like a snob rather than actually feeling it.

Please, what are you even rambling about regarding how great Creedence is? Nobody said anyone hates their whole discography. It’s just one song—you don't have to jump straight to claiming people hate the entire band. I've loved David Bowie my whole life, but that doesn't stop me from rocking out when I hear Let's Dance or China Girl.

@ redcrane28: I don't even bother with the radio at home. You only hear that stuff drifting out of convenience stores, dive bars, or from some neighbor's house. As for those songs you mentioned, they’re usually just played by some hack street performers, shitty cover bands on a patio, or some drunk guy shredding a guitar at a backyard party.

Dead Carrot said:Carrot only has one tiny little hair on their arm and maybe something slightly larger on their head... 🥳

guess that explains why you're so itchy and bitchy😛

np - Marvin Gaye : Let's dance😍

Walter Foster52 said:guess that explains why you're being such a bitch😛

Never heard of anyone getting bitchy just because they shaved😕